Oil-indicator.



J. M. HONS & E. W. APLIN.

OIL INDICATOR. APPLICATION FILED Aus.26. 19H.

Patented Feb. 6,1917.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES MONROEA HONS AND EDWARD WALLACE APLIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO GEORGE A. BEES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

OIL-INDICATOR.

Bpecicatlon of Letten Patent.

. Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

Application filed August 26, 1914. Serial N0. 858,602.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES MONROE Hons and EDWARD WALLACE APLIN, citisens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in' Oil-Indicators, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reerence'being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specilication.

@iur invention relates, to automatic controllers for internal combustion engines and ioll its object the provision of an improved device of this character adapted to control or entirely stop an engine should the supply of lubricant used in the operation oi the engine fail or be insufficient.

@ur invention in one form contemplates the provision or" a device responsive to the iiuid level oi lubricant within the engine, which device has means should the level go below a predetermined amount to short circuit the ignition system or 'otherwise render it inoperative, at the saine time displaying a signal to the operator of the vehicle upon which the engine is'located, giving him an indication to why the engine has stopped its operations. y

@ur inv 'ion further contemplates the provision oi a plurality of devices pre-ierably' placed the opposite extremities of the engine or crank'case so that should the ,v.

hiele be ascending oudescending .an in line, whereby the oil may run to one ein "eniity ci the containerq that the engine vould not thereby be stopped, it requiring the act`ve cooperation oi both devices before such a stoppage of the engine would occur.

'We will explain ene form which our invention may take more in detail by referring to the accompanying drawing, in which 'Figure l is a side view of an internal combastion engine shown as mounted in place upon a vehicle; Fig. Q is a vertical sectional view ot our improved'device along line 2-9 oi Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a sectional view along line 3--3 oiE lig. 2; Fig. 4C is a diagrammatic 'iew showing' one form in which the circuit may be arranged, Fig. 5 is an end view of another 'orin of applying our device, and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on line a of Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to lig. 1, we show a vehicle body 1 as being provided with a four cylinder engine 2 having in this instance the common crank case 3. Our engine is equipped with two of our improved devices respectively the devices 4 and 4a. Both devices l and 4 are identical in character being shown more in detail in Figs. 2 and 3. Our improved devices 4 and t respectively are adapted for connection by means of pipes 38,39 with the interior of the crank case so that Oil from this crank case may enter the devices 4 and Lla-Iespectively and will naturally have a level in each one of these devices in accordance with certain conditions to be hereinafter explained. If the engine is standing horizontal the level of the oil in both devices isthe same.

Should however the engine be inclined to the' horizontal as may be the case when the engine is going up or down a hill, then the level of the oil in one device may be below a predetermined normal, and the level in the other device may be above a predetermined normal. Consequently it is readily apparent that we can avoid a false indication by requiring the conjoint control by both devices before any control of the engine is effected. Should the level of the oil in both devices be below a predetermined amount, then in accordance with our inventionas will presently appear, the ignition circuit of the en gine is short circuited or otherwise rendered inoperative, and a signal is displayed before the operator of the vehicle so that he is apprised of the reason for the stoppage of the engine.

With some forms oi engine, it may not be necessary to use two devices as we may be able to uti iae a single device ib connected by means of a single tube 6a with thecentral portion of the lubricant container so that this one device may serve the purposes as will be4 clear. This alternate, forni is shown by the dotted lines in Fig/l.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2

and 3 which set forth our device in detail,

wehave a container tube 7 which in this instance is shown as glass, so that an inspection ci the device will immediately indicate the quantity of oil within the crank case. Of course, any other suitable con* tainer may be employed naturally. The lower portion of the tube 7 is closed by the cap 8, which cap has an inlet tube 9 adapted .for connection with the pipe 39 leading into the crank case. The oil may thus enter comprising an oil containing cylinder, an

internal concentric cylinder having orifices 15 in its upper and lower portions, a float in said second cylinder, and contacts in said second cylinder directly controlled by said float.

In Witness whereof, we hereunto sub- 20 scribe our names this 18th day of August A. D., 1914.

JAMES MoNEoEEHoNs. EDWARD WALLACE APLIN.

Witnesses:

CONAN'r WAIT, GEo. A. REI-1s.

AAAAA AA l 

